00:01 – 00:10
[Upbeat music plays. Background shows a film set where a young man takes a seat facing the camera. Elvin is deaf and uses Auslan to communicate]
<v Elvin >: When I was young, I wanted to learn ballet. But my family said that deaf people can’t dance. They can’t do it. So, I just accepted it.
00:10 – 00:17
[Upbeat music continues. The camera zooms out]
<v Elvin >: But when I grew up, I thought, yeah, why not? Let’s go learn Ballet.
00:17 – 00:33
[On screen text: Elvin Lam – GSA Team member]
<v Elvin >: But when I grew up, I thought, yeah, why not? Let’s go learn Ballet. So my name is Elvin. I’m deaf, and I use Auslan as my first language. I work at an office, and I have another job as an Auslan teacher trainer, and I’m a deaf counselor and a performer.
00:33 – 01:02
[Upbeat music continues. Elvin continues communicate using Auslan]
<v Elvin >: When I was looking for a ballet school they were saying I couldn’t hear the music and I couldn’t participate, but I wanted to try it. It was a mix of feelings. I was very nervous as I was the only deaf person there. The teacher had never met a deaf person before, so it was a bit hard to match everyone in the class. But after the class, I felt a lot of better knowing that I could do it and was just another student.
00:33 – 01:26
[From behind the camera the Director speaks and Elvin answers]
<v Director >: What’s your favourite ballet move?
<v Elvin >: A jeté, basically a jump. It’s like I’m flying. If you’re not sure, that a deaf person can be involved.I think it’s worth to give them a try because people can adapt and match it, and then they can see that the deaf person can do it.
01:27 – 02:02
[Upbeat music continues. Elvin continues communicate using Auslan]
<v Elvin >: If I go out into a cafe to get a takeaway coffee, I line up, I get to the front to order a coffee. I show on my phone, a text version of what I’m wanting to order, and then I wait off to the side, but then I think, “How will I know when my coffee’s ready?” But for hearing people, it’s very easy. They can kind of switch off and scroll through their phone. But I have to stare at the person behind the counter and it feels a bit awkward, that I’m staring at them. So, I feel lost, essentially. I feel like I don’t know what’s going on, so, yeah, it’s exhausting.
02:02 – 02:09
[Scene transitions to show a white screen with black text that reads, “We strive to make accessibility more accessible. And inclusion, more inclusive”]
02:09 – 02:21
[Upbeat music continues. Elvin continues communicate using Auslan]
<v Elvin >: So a better world for people with disability is one where we can just be.
02:22 – 02:25
[Scene transitions to show a white screen with black text that reads, “Creating a world where people with disability can just be.”]
02:25 – 02:30
[A yellow screen shows Get Skilled Access logo at the centre and the website at the bottom www.getskilledaccess.com.au.]
[Music fades away]
